Best Portable DVD Players

Entertainment on the go

Tote-along movies for on-the-go entertainment. Read how the Good Housekeeping Research Institute evaluated the products and came up with the top picks. Check out all of the GHRI-tested goods you'll need for your next road trip.

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Best Overall Player: LG DP885 ($240)

Best Overall Player: LG DP885 ($240)

The 8-inch widescreen winner nabbed the highest score in ease of use, was second in performance, and tops in appearance. It was also rated the number-one favorite by eight of the 10 testers because of the convenient location of its buttons and its overall sleekness. It ranked highest for lightweight portability as well as for battery life, which lasted nearly 4 1/2 hours. The swiveling screen means it opens like a laptop but then rotates for easier viewing. Paired with its durability, these traits make it ideal for those long road trips. Plus, it features a parental lock that allows an adult to set a password and a rating from 0 to 9 (0 blocks all discs from being played without a password, and 9 blocks no discs; numbers in between correspond to ratings standards: G, PG, etc.). The unit comes with one headphone jack, a car power adapter, AC adapter, remote control, and Dolby Digital sound.
(amazon.com)

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Sony DVP-FX820 ($180)

Sony DVP-FX820 ($180)

This Sony has an 8-inch swiveling screen that's hinged like a laptop but then can be turned and folded flat for better viewing. That, coupled with its conveniently located controls, helped it to earn its second-place title. To boot, the Sony also had one of the longest-lasting batteries, clocking in at over 5 hours, and our consumer testers found it a cinch to use, making it ideal for those non-tech-savvy travelers. It also has two headphone jacks, a car power adapter, AC adapter, and remote control, and Dolby Digital sound.
(sonystyle.com)

Best Overall Player: LG DP885 ($240)

The 8-inch widescreen winner nabbed the highest score in ease of use, was second in performance, and tops in appearance. It was also rated the number-one favorite by eight of the 10 testers because of the convenient location of its buttons and its overall sleekness. It ranked highest for lightweight portability as well as for battery life, which lasted nearly 4 1/2 hours. The swiveling screen means it opens like a laptop but then rotates for easier viewing. Paired with its durability, these traits make it ideal for those long road trips. Plus, it features a parental lock that allows an adult to set a password and a rating from 0 to 9 (0 blocks all discs from being played without a password, and 9 blocks no discs; numbers in between correspond to ratings standards: G, PG, etc.). The unit comes with one headphone jack, a car power adapter, AC adapter, remote control, and Dolby Digital sound.
(amazon.com)

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Sony DVP-FX820 ($180)

This Sony has an 8-inch swiveling screen that's hinged like a laptop but then can be turned and folded flat for better viewing. That, coupled with its conveniently located controls, helped it to earn its second-place title. To boot, the Sony also had one of the longest-lasting batteries, clocking in at over 5 hours, and our consumer testers found it a cinch to use, making it ideal for those non-tech-savvy travelers. It also has two headphone jacks, a car power adapter, AC adapter, and remote control, and Dolby Digital sound.
(sonystyle.com)

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Audiovox D1988PK ($230)

The Audiovox received high scores for screen size (9 inches) and ease of playing, and the battery lasted 3 hours, 47 minutes. This sturdy player received a top score in durability, with no change in functionality during our jostling tests, thanks to its anti-skip function. It comes with two sets of folding headphones and a carrying bag that allows it to be mounted as a headrest. Additional features include a car power adapter, remote control, and USB compatibility.
(amazon.com)

Philip Friedman

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GPX PD708B ($80)

The GPX is durable, portable, and affordable — a fine choice for anyone on a budget. It received a high score for battery life, which lasted 4 hours, 13 minutes. This one is not necessarily for those who judge a DVD player by its cover: It scored toward the bottom for appearance. Its small, 7-inch screen might also be a deterrent if multiple people plan to watch together. Includes dual headphone jacks, a car adapter, AC adapter, and a remote.
(amazon.com)

Philip Friedman

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COBY TF-DVD1023 ($200)

For a mid-range price, this player is loaded with the works: a large 10.2-inch swivel screen that folds flat for better viewing, a remote control, a parental lock, and an anti-skip feature. Two headphone jacks and included headphones let a couple of kids listen in without disturbing the front seat. It comes with a car headrest-mounting bag, so no one has to hold it in place. Even if the kids are watching movies by themselves, parents can set a ratings limit that can't be changed without a password. Don't let the feature overload scare you; we found the Coby easy to use, giving it high scores in ease of setup, loading, and playing the DVD, and it passed our jostling test with flying colors. The one downside: Battery life wasn't great, blinking out at 2 hours, 36 minutes (you'll barely squeeze in a movie before it needs recharging). Also includes a car adapter, AC adapter, and Dolby Digital sound.
(amazon.com)

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GPX PD808B ($120)

The 8-inch GPX received a top score in both durability (no skipping) and portability (it was one of the lightest players we tested). The battery life was disappointing, with just 2 hours, 15 minutes of viewing time (barely a full-length movie) before the player needed to be plugged in. Includes two headphone jacks, a car adapter, AC adapter, remote control, USB connection, and a memory card expansion slot for viewing photos.
(amazon.com)

Philip Friedman

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GPX PD908B ($150)

This GPX received a high score in durability, acing the jostling test — a good trait to have for all those bumpy rides. The controls were easy to use, and the unit also comes equipped with a 9-inch swivel screen (that folds flat for better viewing), a remote control, and a dual headphone jack so the kids can listen and watch while you concentrate on the road. The battery lasted 2 hours, 45 minutes on one charge — below average for our test. Also includes a car adapter and an AC adapter.
(amazon.com)

Philip Friedman

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iLuv I1155 ($270)

For those of you who don't go anywhere without your iPod, you may fall in love with the iLuv. This player has an integrated dock for your iPod Classic, Nano, and iPod Video, which allows you to play all of your audio and video files from your iPod onto the 8.5-inch screen. It also comes with an adjustable stand for alternate viewing angles and is controlled by a remote controlled touch-sensitive keypad. Although full of fun features, this player received low scores for durability, experiencing moderate skipping and freezing during our shock-resistance test, even though it touts an anti-skip function. And it didn't wow us in ease of use: It received a low score in the controls, making it one of the most difficult players to set up — however, the excellent manual does help. Other features include a car power adapter, AC adapter, and Dolby Digital sound.
(i-luv.com)

Philip Friedman

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Memorex MVDP1102 ($180)

The 10.2-inch LCD screen may be the closest you'll come to having a movie theater in your car. Thanks to its superlong battery life (5 hours and 45 minutes) and ample screen, it received the highest score for performance. For those seeking a sturdy model, however, this one may not be for you. Despite the built-in anti-skip function, this portable DVD player scored the lowest on our "shake" test and was the only player that restarted to the beginning of the movie when jostled. This might make you think twice about allowing the kids to manage the movies, even though it has a parental lock, which mutes out objectionable language. The unit comes with a two headphone jacks, car power adapter, AC adapter, remote control, and Dolby Digital sound.
(target.com)

Philip Friedman

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Philips PET726 ($200)

A lightweight player, the Philips comes with two 7-inch widescreens — two kids can each have their own, eliminating viewing territory disputes. Each has a car-mounting pouch to hang on the back of the front seat for hands-free entertainment. Just don't take this player on the bumpy roads: Despite an anti-skip function, it performed in the bottom three in our jostling tests, suffering from excessive skipping. Its battery life was exceptionally poor — the lowest of the test — just 2 hours, 8 minutes before needing a recharge. Also includes a car power adapter, AC adapter, remote control, Dolby Digital, sound, parental lock (to prevent viewing of DVDs with certain ratings), and USB compatibility.
(philips.com)